Elections on time: ECP, govt quell whispers of poll postponement

ECP secretary meets PM, says Karachi constituency issue will be resolved in coming days.

ISLAMABAD/ LAHORE:

In the face of continued whispers of delayed polls, hopes for an on-time election received a shot in the arm on Tuesday from the election watchdog and the government’s information point-man.

Both issued optimistic statements regarding the next general elections – an exercise that is still the subject of much speculation despite the government’s insistence that it will be held on time.

Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Secretary Ishtiak Ahmed Khan said that he had told the prime minister earlier in the day that the commission would complete all arrangements in terms of holding the elections by December 31, and added that the premier had expressed satisfaction on the effort.

Separately, Information Qamar Zaman Kaira added to the statement, saying during a luncheon with journalists that elections would be held in May next year under a neutral caretaker setup.

“Nothing but a natural catastrophe can postpone the next general elections,” Kaira said.

Law and order

One of the principal issues being put forward in the speculation of delayed elections is the current law and order situation. But the idea was dismissed by both the ECP and the information minister – in word and in deed.

The ECP secretary said the body had turned down the Balochistan chief secretary’s request to postpone by-elections of a provincial assembly seat due to the volatile law and order situation in the province.

“The ECP has refused the Balochistan chief secretary’s request for postponement of by-elections as it is the duty of the provincial government to maintain law and order.”

Earlier this month, the ECP had announced a schedule for the by-election of the constituency PB-18 Sherani-cum-Zhob (Old Zhob-I) to fill the seat rendered vacant after the death of MPA Abdul Khaliq. Polling is scheduled to take place on December 24.

He said that he had informed Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf that the commission would hold meetings with the federal and all provincial governments to ensure that law and order is maintained during polling.

The information minister also chimed in on this issue, saying that elections were held in 2008 even though the law and order situation was not exemplary at the time.

The Karachi issue

The other issue that could possibly pose a threat to the next elections is the situation in Karachi – which contributes represents the most seats in the National Assembly and the provincial assembly for a single city. The issue doesn’t pertain to the law and order situation, but the issue of voter lists and constituencies.



The issues are both highly sensitive, and could have repercussions or involve a protracted implementation process – given that just the pre-census house count was hit by a number of scandals, and the inability of ECP staff to go door to door in the city.

While commenting on the Supreme Court’s direction for fresh delimitation of constituencies in Karachi and the issue of 3 million votes being transferred out of the city on ethnic and political grounds, the ECP secretary said he was going to hold meetings with the Sindh administration in this regard.

The secretary has been summoned by the apex court on November 28 regarding the fresh delimitation.

He hoped that the matter would be finalised in the next couple of days. After finalising the proposals, we will take political parties into confidence as they are the real stakeholders, he added.

On Monday, the Supreme Court had taken notice of the ECP’s failure to redraw constituencies in Karachi so as to make them multi-ethnic instead of ghettoized. The apex court’s order in this regard had come as a part of its recommendations to reduce ethnic violence in the city.

The Supreme Court has summoned the ECP secretary on this matter on November 28 – and warned that contempt proceedings could be initiated if its orders were not followed by the ECP.

Additionally, last week, the Supreme Court had directed the ECP to review Karachi’s electoral rolls after it received numerous complaints that the city’s ruling party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) had influenced the process of pushing out some three million votes out of Karachi of people who hailed from different party of Pakistan but had settled in the financial capital.

This issue is set to heat up with the MQM also filing a petition to become a party in the case.

Caretaker set-up

Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira on Tuesday said the government was committed to holding free and fair elections, which would be held under a caretaker setup in May next year.

He said the elections will take place within two months of the caretaker government assuming power. “The caretaker government which will be formed as per the Constitution,” he added.

He said the caretaker setup will be announced after consulting the opposition to ensure free and fair elections under the supervision of an independent election commission.

Kaira maintained the PPP-led government had strengthened the ECP by awarding it unprecedented autonomy. The federal minister said conducting weapon-free by-polls in different constituencies in the coming months would be the real test for the ECP.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28^th, 2012.